More Than It Seems
by Jenn1
Summary: Movie/bookbased Eustace tells Jill his story about what happened during the voyage with his cousins. Through his tales, Jill gets to know him better. Chapter Two up.
1. The Book

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I think in a small way I got this fic from all of the fics that **elecktrum** has done with Edmund and some Eustace about VDT.

I also want to give a very big thank you to **Sentimental Star** for her betaing this fic and her suggestions as well. Thank you!

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Title:

More Than It Seems

**Author:** Jenn

**Summary: **[Movie/bookbased] Eustace tells Jill his story about what happened during the voyage with his cousins. Through his tales, Jill gets to know him better.

**Rating:** (K+)PG

**Timeline:** Voyage of the Dawn Treader/post The Sliver Chair

**Spoilers: **For the 2005 and 2008 movies, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. And minor ones for The Silver Chair.

**Category:** General. No Romance. Non Slash.

**Disclaimers:** They're not mine, they're copyrighted to and belong to C.S. Lewis. The movie is based off of Lewis' work and copyrights also go to Walt Disney and Walden Media. _More Than It Seems_, I'm just using the title from the song by Kutless. Not making any money for this story. This fic is just for enjoyment.

Thoughts and quotes from the books are in italics.

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**Prologue**

_The Book_

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_Experiment House, Autumn, 1942_

The day was sunny with only a few clouds in the sky. There was still a slight chill in the air, but it was still comfortable. Most everyone was outdoors getting a bit of fresh air instead of wanting to being coped up in school.

Eustace Scrubb looked at the package again. Yes, it was for him. He almost never got mail at the Experiment House. But he was more surprised on _who_ had sent it.

He carefully opened it, so that the brown paper did not rip. His parents, at least Alberta could never understand his cousins, the Pensevies, just ripping into their presents at Christmas.

Eustace had no idea what he would find when he opened the package. A book he was sure of it, for it was the size and weight of one.

_Peter and Wendy__ by J. M. Barrie_, he read to himself, on the cover. He opened it and two folded sheets of paper fell out.

Unfolding one, Eustace read: _Eustace:_

It was Edmund's handwriting.

_I thought I'd write you a quick note before Pete sent out his book to you. I was finally able to tell him everything that happened in Narnia. It's much easier to do it face to face then trying to write everything down on paper._

_Everything is going fine here. School is normal for us, but then yours is a 'mixed' school so… I guess I can't say much. Has anyone else noticed how you've changed? Hopefully your classmates and teachers will take it better then Aunt Alberta, huh?_

_Lucy should be writing to you soon. And I hope I hear from you, dear cousin._

_Ed_

Eustace had written to Edmund just a few days ago, but looking at the date on the letter Ed write, Eustace knew that he would not have gotten it yet.

He was hesitate to read his oldest cousin's letter. But he looked at the book in his hands. The hardbound book though in good shape did have some wear in it.

This was Peter's book, Ed had written. That must have cost a bit to send trough post. Why on earth had Peter done that?

Opening it, Eustace stopped when he saw writing. J. M. Barrie had not signed it. But it still moved Eustace anyway.

_To my son, Peter, with love, from Dad._

Eustace swallowed hard. Why had Peter given him this book, one that was important to him? Harold, er, his own father never gave him something quite so meaningful.

"Hey, Scrubb," a voice called.

Eustace looked up to see Jill Pole coming his way. "Pole," He greeted her friendly smile.

"What's that?" She asked as she leaned against the tree he had situated himself under.

"This? Oh, a book one of my cousins sent."

"'P. Pevensie'?" Jill asked as she looked at the address on the brown paper with the address.

"That's Peter, he's the oldest."

"And they go to all boys school?"

Eustace nodded. "And the girls go to the girls school across the road from them."

"A week ago I would have wanted to join them I think." Jill mumbled more to herself.

"Oh no you wouldn't!" Eustace added quickly. "Edmund wasn't the nicest some years back and he was going to the same school he is now."

"What book did you get?" Jill looked at the title as Eustace handed it over. "Mum read this to me a year so ago to me. I can't remember. It was fairly good. But poor Wendy having be 'mother' to Peter and the Lost Boys."

"I actually know the basic story. Ed told it to us _Dawn Treader_."

"Us?"

"Caspian, Reepicheep and the crew."

"They don't have fairy tales in Narnia?"

"I don't think so."

Eustace still felt that twinge when he thought of his friends. At least Caspian and Reepicheep were in Aslan's country. But Trumpkin, whom his remembered cousins talked about and D.L.F., whatever that meant. Of course the old dwarf hadn't known him or Jill, but he wish he had from the stories he had been told.

"Scrubb?"

"Yes?" Eustace got his mind back to the present. "Would you mind telling me what Caspian and the rest thought of Peter and Wendy?" Jill asked

"Sure. It was in the beginning of the voyage I remember much… And I was horrid then…"

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Peter Pan originally Peter and Wendy, by J. M. Barrie 1911, but first it was a play called Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up.

Notes: Since this story is in the third person though mostly in Eustace's POV I'm going to keep Eustace and Jill on first name basis unless they are speaking to one another.

I don't know for sure if Trumpkin is going to part of Caspian's crew, for the movie or not, I'm not sure if he's on the cast list. But I felt, (after rewriting my fic a bit) to keep it closer to bookverse for now, Trumpkin after all was never in the _Voyage of the _Dawn Treader. And if the movie is going to change that… well…


	2. Won't Change

Thanks for the so reviews.

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**Chapter One**

_Won't Change_

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Abroad the

Dawn Treader

"Good morning, Eustace." Caspian said as he came on the top deck.

"Good? _Good?_ How could anyone sleep with that motion last night?"

"Eustace," Edmund said, "You'll get use to rocking of the hammock. And it's that bad. Believe me."

Eustace huffed as took his place next to Caspian and Edmund.

"Edmund, I don't mind taking your cousin's hammock, he can have bed, after all, I should have done yesterday since he was seasick," Caspian said.

Edmund glanced over at Eustace, and said, "That was yesterday I think he's fine now."

"How would you know? Are you a doctor?" Eustace glared at his cousin.

"No, but-"

"Good morning." Lucy said as she greeted them and joined them along the starboard side. She smiled at them all. "Isn't it a lovely morning?"

"It is, Lucy," Caspian agreed grinning with her as he looked out toward the sea.

"Ed, don't you remember when we reigned and were on the Spendour Hyaline?"

"Yes." Edmund looked thoughtful with a small smile.

"How were you and Lucy even a King and Queen? You always lived in Finchley? Are you sure there are no British Consuls here?"

"We were here many years ago, Eustace." Lucy said. "And you thought Narnia was only pretend, yet here we are."

Eustace frowned at her. "You couldn't have been years ago! But there has to be a British Consul here somewhere. I want to go _home_."

"Eustace, we've been over this," Edmund sighed. "There are no consuls anywhere here. You may as well get use to it. You are stuck here with the Lucy and me until Aslan sends home. And yes, we _were_ here years ago, something I don't think you don't _want_ to understand not that you can't."

Eustace scowled at his cousin. He hated that Edmund was treating him like a stupid kid.

"Oh Ed, I do hope Aslan will let us stay here for some time."

"I do to, Lu."

"Who's Aslan? Either way, I don't care, I want to go home, now!"

"Eustace." Caspian now spoke up. "You should not speak about Aslan so lightly. But there is nothing to be done about getting you home while we are at sea. And if you do keep on about it I will have you help the men scrub the deck."

"You wouldn't dare!" Eustace exclaimed looking at the dark haired young man who was only a few years older then Peter. King or not, Eustace was not going to be ordered about.

"Please just try to make the best of it. It isn't all that bad, and you are not seasick anymore, and the cordial helped." Lucy said.

Ignoring her, Eustace asked, "When are we going to have our clothes back?"

"They had all day yesterday and last night to dry so you should be able to wear them today." Drinian said, as he joined them.

"How was your Majesties rest?" the captain asked of them.

"I slept all night," Lucy answered. Edmund nodded in agreement. Eustace merely scowled.

"Tell me," Caspian asked of the Pevensies. "How are the Peter and Susan doing? I didn't get chance to really ask yesterday with all the excitement."

"Peter is studying for an exam with a professor we know. And Susan is in America with our parents. That is another country of ours." Lucy answered.

"And Lucy and I were going to be spending the summer holidays with our aunt and uncle and Eustace until we come through that picture with the _Dawn Treader_ and that's how we ended up here," Edmund finished.

"As soon as we get home I'm going to have Alberta get rid of the rotten picture."

"Eustace, stop." Edmund said sharply.

"Who is Alberta?" Drinian asked.

"His mother."

At Caspian's and the captain's raised eyebrows, Edmund continued, "Eustace is very, modern you see. Just like he mentioned the ships he's been on, he calls his parents by their given names and not 'mother' and 'father'."

Eustace was getting fed up with being told want to do and now it seemed like Edmund was talking down to him. After all, there was nothing wrong with calling his mother, Alberta, and his father, Harold. Personally, he thought his cousins ought to do that with Uncle Frank and Aunt Helen as well.

"If someone would tell me were my clothes are drying I would like to change out of these things." Eustace eyed the too long trousers and shirt he was wearing.

"They would be in the galley."

As Eustace walked away he heard Caspian asked of his cousins had happened during the year since they had left.

He did not hear what they had said he saw something more interesting. As he headed toward the galley he saw the Mouse from a distance.

Beside the dragon's head, Reepicheep stood on the bulwarks looking toward the east.

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__Next Evening_

"Hold still, Eustace." Lucy said as she bathed his bruised hand.

"Can't you give me a drop of that stuff that helped with the seasickness?" He asked, not looking at her but at the bottle at her belt.

"No, I will not give you a drop of my cordial for what you did to Reepicheep. You should not have swung him by the tail, you know. You may not understand, Eustace. But a Mouse's tail is their honor. Aslan gave him that tail."

"What in the world do you mean 'gave him that tail'? Don't all mice have tails?"

Lucy looked like she was about to explain, but she said, "I don't think you'll understand." She looked down as she continued to bathe his sore hand.

"That Mouse needs to be tied up anyways. But come now, Lucy explain what you mean."

"Reepicheep lost his tail during the second Battle of Beruna. But the point is Aslan gave him a new one when the rest the mice were going to cut their tails off. Aslan was touched with that, and that was why he gave Reepicheep his tail back."

_Little rodent probably deserved to lose it's tail,_ Eustace thought. But he was not going to say that Lucy would never shut up if he said that.

"And how can this Aslan just have mice have their tails back that's impossible."

"But he did it. He made the trees awake too."

"What?!"

"There are called dryads and nymphs, some live in the trees and others live the rivers and streams. But the point is, Aslan can do anything He wants to."

Eustace sneered at her. "Oh come on, Lucy! I can only take so much from you and Edmund. You make it sound like this Aslan can do whatever he wants to. If that's so why doesn't he be King of Narnia if he wanted to?" He asked, but his tone was mocking his own statement.

"Eustace," Lucy looked at him and sighed. She began to bandage his hand.

Ignoring her, he continued, on a new topic, "How could Capsain want me to fight a duel? And Drinian and Edmund wanting to handicapping me! I can't believe your own brother is part of all this! Unless I apologized to that-"

"Eustace." Lucy cut in. Her tone held no room for argument. "'That Mouse' as you put is named Reepicheep. I think you should at least try to get along if you can. And you may not understand or agree with things here, but it would go a lot better for you if just try to accept it."

She stood. "Are you coming to dinner?"

He almost wanted to be sulkily and say no. But if he did that, Eustace did not know when he would not eat. And truth be told, he really want to be in that Hole of a room that he shared with Caspian and Edmund. All he would able to do is just write another entry in his diary. Looking at his bandaged hand, maybe not.

"Oh, alright."

They both found the others waiting for them on deck. Eustace made a point to keep his distance from that Mouse. _It's Reepicheep_, Lucy's voice was in his head. He told it to shut up.

The two kings were a distance away though. But Eustace and Lucy could still overhear what was being said.

"Edmund," Caspian had his sword in his hands, still in it's scabbard. "I insist you take your brother's sword. I promised to return it to him, and I know he isn't here, so I feel it's only right that it should go to you."

"Caspian, _no_." Edmund's voice was harsh and maybe something else, as he ran his hands through his dark hair. "Peter gave Rhindon into you're keeping. Not into your keeping until Lucy and I came back."

"What-"

Lucy put a finger over Eustace's mouth. Her focus was on her brother and Caspian.

"But surely, Peter would want you to have it."

"No, Peter wanted _you_ to have his sword. Caspian, I know you and my brother had your differences the last we were here, but I don't want us to fight over his sword. It's yours. And you _are_ Narnia's King."

"Than take my second best sword." Caspian said looking reluctant, but he put the sword back around his waist.

Edmund thought for a minute and turned, he was surprised to see Lucy and Eustace not far away. Turning back to Caspian he said, "No, you may need it. I can take a sword from the one of the swords that you have on deck."

"But Sire," Reepicheep started to say, he had been on the other side of Caspian but quiet during the talk.

"It's quite alright, Reepicheep, I don't care if I have Peter Pan's sword as long as it's a sword."

"Peter Pan?" The Talking Mouse looked confused. "A different name for the High King?"

Lucy laughed. "It's a boy from a book. Not other name for our brother at all. Though Peter does love the story."

"Because he's named after him?" Caspian guessed.

"That could be part of it," she answered him. "But I think it was more the adventure, and the fact that Peter Pan never grew up."

"That's impossible. All people grow up."

"It's a story, Eustace," Edmund explained.

"It must be ridiculous one." Eustace crossed arms over his chest.

Edmund laughed. "You've never heard it?"

"Harold and Alberta would never have something that absurd in the house." With that Eustace turned and started toward the port side of the ship. Forget dinner, he would go hungry. He would just say in the hole of a room and try to get to sleep before the others.

"Eustace, wait!"

But Eustace kept on going even with his unsteady sea legs.

Edmund was right in front of him blocking his way. "I wasn't laughing at you. At least that wasn't my intent."

"It didn't look that way at me."

"Okay, it's just that _Peter and Wendy_ is popular if kids don't hear or read the book from their parents then some may have seen it performed on stage, like before the war."

Edmund said more after Eustace reminded quiet. "But come, hear the story. If you don't like it, you can judge it then, but you will know what it's about after hearing it, not before."

Eustace found that his cousin's brown eyes were not taunting him, but encouraging him to join them.

"Okay, but I'm telling Alberta when we get home."

"Whatever you say, Eustace." Edmund said with sigh.

So the night passed with Edmund telling the story of _Peter and Wendy_. How a boy named Peter Pan meet Wendy and her brothers Michael and John. And they flew to Neverland. They had adventures there with the Lost Boys. And there were pirates with a Captain Hook and a crocodile with a ticking clock inside him. But in the end Wendy, her brothers, and the Lost Boys returned to London. But Peter stayed in Neverland and never grew up.

Most of the sailors that were not on duty doing anything had listened to the story and had liked it they had said. Caspian had been interested in the whole tale, he explained maybe it brought memories back of an old nurse he had who told him stories when he had been a boy. Drinian and Reepicheep did not say that much, though the Talking Mouse got the most interested in the battles in the tale.

Eustace knew a lot of the story, if it had been real, could not have happened.

Maybe that was why a lot of people wrote about fictional worlds and places. But you thought this place was just like that…

Eustace shook his head. Before long he would be acting like Edmund and Lucy if he was not careful.

Like that would ever happen!

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"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

_"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied._ Acts 9:5

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Peter Pan originally _Peter and Wendy_, by J. M. Barrie 1911, but first it was a play called _Peter Pan, _or_ The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up._

Note - Now that I think on it, I now wonder why Edmund didn't get Caspian's second best sword in the book when the boarded the _Dawn_ _Treader_? I guess Ed chose a different sword or at somehow Eustace, I like to think, earned, Caspian's second best sword. Too bad Lewis never said.

Thanks for reading, please review. _Jenn_


	3. Beast

**Chapter Two**

_Beast_

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_Experiment House_

Jill looked at Eustace, then shook her head.

"What?" Eustace asked, his tone slightly defensive.

"You were right. You _were_ a real tick back then."

"Well that was then."

"So when was it during this first adventure in Narnia that changed you so much, Scrubb?"

Eustace shifted uncomfortably on the ground and looked away from her. "That's an adventure in itself. But… I was turned into… a dragon."

"A…what?"

Eustace looked up, he saw Jill's tense expression. "Like one of those creatures we saw in the Underworld?" she asked remembering.

Eustace could not say if he was like the beasts in the Underworld that were sleeping. Did not the Warden say they would awake at the end of the world?

"I don't know if I was like that. I didn't know I even was a dragon at first until Ed and Lucy explained it to me."

"How did you become a dragon?" Jill asked as she brushed a lock of red hair out of her eyes.

"We arrived on this island, the _Dawn Treader _wasno better than a wreck. There had been a bad storm that lasted days. It caused us to lose a mast."

"Caspian wanted everyone to get work. We had to do anything from starting to repair the ship, to setting up camp, to getting a hunting party started. I thought 'Is there never going to be any rest?'

"If I was careful and slowly walked off I would slip away without anyone noticing. I had seen a ridge not too far away. So I started to climb up it, and it took some time doing." He laughed bitterly. "The old me would never have done it. I would have given up after it got too hard.

"Once I reached the top, there was a fog all around. I couldn't see the camp or the _Dawn Treader_. So I lay down and got comfortable. But as I lay there I started to feel lonely for the first time in my life."

Jill looked at him sadly, her eyes seem to say she understood. But she did not say anything.

"Then I thought, 'What if the others have gone on without me? Perhaps they had left me here on purpose.'"

"Scrubb, they would never do that." Jill looked surprised that he would believe that of the Pevensies and Caspian.

"I know that _now_, Pole. But at the time… Anyway, so I rushed down the ridge mad with fear that I was left behind. But all that time my thoughts were 'Hurry, Hurry.'

"I got back on level ground again. But I didn't see any sign of the _Dawn Treader_. I found myself in an unfamiliar valley.

The valley was narrow and deep with a rock face. There was also was a clear pool of water. I knew I had to climb back up. I didn't know if I could do it, although but I knew I had to do it. But I thought to get a good drink first. But before I did, I heard something."

Eustace inhaled sharply remembering the other dragon. It was like it was only yesterday and not what? Months? Years ago?

"Eustace?" Jill asked quietly, he felt her hand in his. "We faced giants and a witch how bad was it with a dragon?"

"It wasn't so much the dragon I saw I think. Maybe it was more the dragon _I_ was."

"But you're not one anymore."

"Yes I know. But I guess I always fear if I could become one again."

Jill looked at him steady. Letting go of his hand, she said in a firm voice, "Eustace Scrubb, you may be many things but a dragon you are not! You may have been one once, but I say you are un-dragoned, and un-dragoned you'll be I think." Tucking a strand of red hair behind ear, Jill asked, "So what did you do, since you had no idea what a dragon was?"

"I was standing in fear with no idea what the creature was that was in front of the cave. The creature seemed sad and old, it slowly made it's way to the pool. It seemed like it was going to drink but it didn't, all at once, it made this great harsh cry and a few convulsions and-"

"Scrubb, I think I get the idea." Jill interrupted, shuddering.

"Sorry," Eustace said sheepishly. "I thought it was a trick for the longest time, I actually touched it to make sure it was dead." He cringed at the memory.

"I went for my drink at the pool. But I didn't get much to drink when the rain and thunder started. I was soaked in seconds. I made a dash to the cave.

"Like I said, I never read the sort of books the Pevensies read. So I didn't expect to see treasure there. Foolishly at the time, I thought could have the treasure for myself since Narnia was nothing like England. And I was quite greedy wanting to carry as much as I could. I found a bracelet that was gold with diamonds on it that I put on my left arm. But the rain hadn't let up, and I had grown tired so I lay down and fell asleep."

Jill just looked at him. "Yes, can almost believe you doing that I think," she said slowly. "You were always going off doing what They wanted you to do. Wanting to gain Their favor."

Eustace winced, at her bitter words, the truth hurt. But what could he say? He was a beast been than, even before he had became a dragon.

"I don't know how long I slept. But what woke me was a pain in my arm. But then I notice that there was moonlight coming from the mouth of the cave.

"I didn't know it, but I had turned into a dragon as I slept. When I saw the scaly arms I only thought it was another dragon. I didn't realize it until I ran out in a panic and saw my refection in the pool.

"I could get back at Caspian and Edmund and everyone. But as I thought that, I didn't want to, I wanted to be friends more then anything. I realized that as a dragon I was more alone then ever."

Eustace looked from the grass he had been pulling up back at Jill. He had not wanted to tell that he had cried. No one knew everything of the inner most details of him being a dragon.

"What did you do?" Jill asked. His friend's eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I flew to the beach. I realized that Caspian and the others wouldn't have left without me." Eustace was not going to add that he ate the other dragon. He did not know how Jill would take that after he had mentioned the other dragon dying.

"See what did I tell you?" Jill gave him a little nudge on the shoulder.

"Yes I know, Pole." He smiled. "So I was on the beach when Caspian, Edmund and the rest of the crew came toward me with their swords drawn.

"So I retreated, and then when they started questioning my actions while I nodded or shook my head doing anything I could to try to make them understand me. And-"

"Wait!" Jill held up her hand to stop him. "Why were you nodding? Couldn't you talk?"

"No, I couldn't, maybe that's just part of being a dragon, and I was also… crying at the time."

"Oh." Jill said, then asked softly, "That was a really bad time for you wasn't it, Scrubb?"

"Yes. But I think it's better I went through it. Caspian and the crew realized what the bracelet on my arm meant because it had a hammer on it. It was one of the missing lords we were seeking. Somehow again maybe it's the books Ed and Lucy read, but they thought maybe I was the dragon since I was able to shake my head that I wasn't one of the missing lords."

"What was being a dragon like? I mean do you mind talking about it?"

"I guess not, at least not now, I suppose," Eustace looked at Jill. "But I have to say being needed, I mean, I should say, my helping, like finding a tree for a mast and exploring the island, that kept me from despair.

"But I think you want to know more then just that? Oh, I remember, Lucy told her favorite fairy tale on this island too. I remember that. I don't know if I remember all of it or not…"

_

* * *

_

Dragon Island – Second Evening

"Lucy, I still remember the first winter at Cair Paravel when you tried to convince Mr. Tumnus to figure skate. I think he would have agreed to about anything you suggested but that."

"I'm sure he would have if you and Peter hadn't have started to laugh at the idea," Lucy frowned slightly.

The fire seemed to dance as everyone laughed with Edmund. Even Lucy smiled now at the memory.

Eustace could not laugh with them though. He did not know how a dragon would, or if a dragon could. He did not feel like laughing anyway. He did feel the others laughing through him as they lend against him using his body for warmth.

"You must admit, Lu, I don't think his hoofs would have worked too well on ice."

"I would have made sure he wouldn't have fallen!" Lucy protested.

Eustace was thinking, _Hoofs?_ _What kind of creature was Mr. Tumnus?_

"Lucy, I may not known fauns quite as long as you have, but a fully grown Faun and a very young queen on the ice spells disaster to me," Caspian said kindly.

"I suppose you're right, but Mr. Tumnus and I were the closest of friends," Lucy's voice had gone quiet and sad.

Edmund's put his arm around his sister. "I miss him too."

By now many had moved away from Eustace, they were quite warm and the fire was keeping them warm as well. It actually wasn't all too cold, just breezy.

"Thank you, Eustace," Caspian said as he got up and gave him a pat on his scaly side and walked over to sat next to Drinian. Eustace nodded his dragon head. The only ones still against him were his cousins.

"Your Majesty," Drinian started. He had been quiet much of the night. "Do you have any stories of your own world?"

"What kind of sort of stories, captain?" Edmund asked.

"Hum, I don't know exactly," Drinian said thoughtfully. "Your Highness?" He looked at Caspian.

"Anything," Caspian said. "History would be interesting."

Eustace thought to himself, _History that would take days to know!_

His cousins must have been thinking the same way. "That would take too long and it's very complex." Edmund said. "Not to add that's England's history alone. But our whole world and the other countries have their own histories."

"I see." Caspian nodded looking a bit disappointed.

"How about another story?" Lucy asked.

"What kind?" Caspian asked curiously.

"Another fairy tale. One of my favorites."

"Does it have anything with battles and a knight's honor?" asked Reepicheep.

"Well, there isn't any battles in this, but there is honor in it." Lucy answered. She proceeded to tell a story about a merchant who had three daughters, the two older ones where selfish, but the youngest was kind. The merchant, whom was quite wealthy, lost all of his riches. The family had to move to the country and work for a living.

As Eustace heard more of the tale he felt it best to leave. And his decision was made when he heard about the girl staying at a castle in place of her father when he had met the beast after picking a rose for her.

He tried to be quiet getting up to leave. But being a dragon that did not work. Lucy stopped speaking

"Eustace?" Edmund whispered as he turned and looked questioningly at him.

He did not know what to do. But he tried to nod or something to say that he was fine.

Eustace stopped halfway between the wood and the beach. Though, he could still see the group, as Lucy continued her story, but he could almost sense Edmund's gaze on him.

He lay down. He would not sleep he knew.

After awhile Eustace noticed that the temperature had risen.

The bracelet in his leg started to brother him, more then usual. He wanted to tear into with his teeth.

Eustace heard feet coming toward him. Turning his head, he saw it was none other than Reepicheep. That surprised him. He had thought it would have been Edmund. But he realized that the Mouse's footsteps were too light to be his cousin's.

Reepicheep stopped close to his head, but well way from his smoky breath.

"Did you not wish to hear Her Majesty's story?"

Eustace wondered if he was going to get a scolding for it and for leaving like he had. But he should be honest since everyone was beginning to like him, and he was liking everyone else in return. He nodded his head, then shook it.

"Not a simple answer." The Mouse looked up at him.

"Would you like to hear some of our history?"

That was all interesting to Eustace, even though he could not ask Reepicheep to tell him about it. He sensed there would be many stories. The Mouse got Eustace's attention.

He nodded his dragon head after a minute.

"It was only over three years ago that his Majesty, King Caspian became the rightful king of Narnia. I pledged my sword along with all the Talking Beasts and Trees which had been in hiding from the cowardly Telmarines. And before you kinsman had been at reign thousands of years ago, there was a witch that ruled Narnia for many, many years."

"But the romantic tale I'm about to share is about some wonderful noble Beasts. There are many besides us Mice," here Reepicheep smiled, "But not many quite as grand as the Unicorns."

_Unicorns?_ Eustace thought. _What are they?_

Two such unicorns were a noble knight named Thane and his lady, Nona.

"Thane and Nona met under the evil time when the White Witch reigned. Both were part of the unknown army. Many wanted for Aslan's return and longed for it. But they where waiting for that day to come.

"One day the police of the White Witch, they're wolves, captured Nona. Even for her valor, Nona could not defeat all of them. When the White Witch came…"

Eustace held his breath.

"Nona was turned into stone."

_Into stone, that was how she died, how did the Witch do that? _Eustace's mind raced. Maybe the magic his cousins talk about?

"Aslan, praise Him, brought her back to life again."

_Aslan again… hum._ Eustace wondered thoughtfully.

"Do you wish to hear another tale?"

Eustace was wondering about Aslan, but he nodded to Reepicheep.

"There was another time, this time in the Golden Reign of Narnia. That was when your cousins were Kings and Queens of Narnia. The prince of Calormen who wanted your Queen Susan as a bride…"

Eustace blew out a stream of smoky breath. _Susan a bride?_

The noble Mouse told Eustace about the prince of Calormen trying to attack Archenland. (Reepicheep explained that was country south of Narnia.) King Lune had warning of some kind, and he and King Edmund along with Queen Lucy with their army fought against the prince and his army and won. Everyone wanted to be fair to the prince, though he did not deserve it. Aslan had come and tried to let the prince redeem himself. The prince did not heed it. So the prince was turned into a donkey. Aslan did show mercy; he told the prince how to become human again. 'Only,' he said, 'do not leave his city.' If he did he would become a donkey once more, but this time, until the end of his days.

That sent fear down Eustace's spine. What if it was Aslan who had changed him really like that story? Would he be a dragon forever?

He had not realized a hot tear had fallen from his eye.

Reepicheep did not say anything more after his tale. He stood and put his paw on one of Eustace's claws.

_

* * *

_

Experiment House

"How long were you a dragon?"

"About six days." Eustace said after he thought a minute. "But at the time it felt like the longest six days of my life."

"How did you stop being one?"

"At the time it happened I thought it was all a dream, I was laying down not knowing what would become of me. But I saw a lion coming toward me, the last thing I was expecting to see. It came up to me. I was quite afraid of it, I can't explain it."

"I understand." Jill said, and she had a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I don't know if the lion actually spoke or not, but it told me to follow it. And I had to obey. So I got up and followed it. It led me up through these mountains to a garden. It had trees, and in the middle of it a well.

"The well was larger them most wells. I thought if I could go in and bathe I could ease the pain in my leg. But the lion said, I would have to undress first, I still don't know if it spoke.

"I realized that just like snakes maybe dragons could shed their scaly skin. So I did that, it came off easily. But when I went down to bathe, my hide was still hard and rough and scaly. I did that two more times with the same results, but it still did no good. I really thought I was never going to get it off.

"The lion said he would have to undress me. I was afraid of his sharp claws, but more then anything I really wanted to be out of that skin so I could bathe my leg.

"The first tear felt like it went right to my heart. But I endured because I knew I could bathe once the skin was off. I was quite tender once there was no skin, but the lion just tossed me in the water. My leg didn't hurt, and after a bit I could see why, I was a boy again."

"So the water turned you back?"

"I think it was that and getting my skin taken off. But anyway, the lion gave me new cloths to wear. After I was dressed he did not speak, but his golden eyes just looked at me. I can't explain it. Like he was looking inside _me_, at who and what I was. But before I could say anything, he breathed on me and I was back near Caspian's camp."

Jill asked quietly, "That was the first time you saw Aslan?"

"Yes, that's what Edmund told me after I told him about it. He's the only one who knows about my being – un-dragoned. I mean how it happened. And now you."

"What did he say?"

"He said I had acted beastly during the trip. But not as bad as he did when he first went to Narnia. He said he was a traitor. But I didn't want him to tell me about it. I did learn a little about it a few weeks later."

"Scrubb! Pole!"

Eustace saw that it was John Spivvins who had called him and Jill.

"Dinner."

"Dinner?" Jill looked toward the setting sun. "Have we been out here all afternoon?"

"I think so." Eustace answered her as he got up. Most of the others were already inside. Spivvins had not waited around to see if they would follow him.

Jill stood also. "Ouch, I think I'm stiff." She stretched.

Eustace nodded, so was he. All he said was, "We better get inside."

"Scrubb, did you tell your cousins about Prince Rilian?" Jill asked as she kept pace with him.

"I sent out a letter the other day. I'll have to wait and see if I get an answer back."

Jill looked down. "Will they like the fact I was there too? I mean it seems like they and you were the only ones there, and back again. You are family to each other."

Eustace did not answer. Something he remembered Edmund tell him came to mind. _"Remember not to mention Narnia or your time there to anyone."_

* * *

_Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized._

Acts 9:18

_

* * *

_

Beauty and the Beast

, by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont 1756, the best-known version.

_The Horse and His Boy_ by C.S. Lewis 1954.


End file.
